Cylindrical holder having means to support a held object coaxially therein



Dec. 27, 1966 R HUNT GYLINDRICAL HOLDER HAVING MEANS TO SUPPORT A HELDOBJECT COAXIALLY THEREIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 23, 1965 mWIIIIAFIIA Dec. 27, 1966 G. R. HUNT 'CYLINDRICAL HOLDER HAVING MEANS TOSUPPORT A HELD OBJECT COAXIALLY THEREIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 23,1965 Ind/enter Gera/a/IF, Hafiz 1 Zn United States Patent 3,294,427CYLINDRICAL HOLDER HAVING MEANS T0 SUP- PORT A HELD OBJECT COAXIALLYTHEREIN Geraid R. Hunt, Club Molino, Anaco, Venezuela Filed Aug. 23,1965, Ser. No. 482,336 6 Claims. (Cl. 2871) This application is acontinuation in part of my application for Letters Patent entitledHolder, Serial No. 190,425, filed April 26, 1962, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a novel holder.

Throughout the several arts, it is often necessary or desired that anobject be gripped, held, supported or otherwise engaged, eitherreleasably or substantially permanently. Still further, it is oftentimesnecessary or desired that an object be supported or held in such amanner as not to scar or damage it and/ or to protect it againstvibrations and shocks, or engage and support an element of a machine orthe like so that the vibrations and the like set up by the said machineare not transmitted to the surrounding and supporting structures.

In other situations, it is necessary or desirable to establishadjustable sliding, Wiping or guiding engagement about an elongateaxially shiftable member or part, at a single point or at spaced pointsthroughout its longitudinal extent.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel device adaptedto be engaged about an object to establish supporting, gripping,sliding, wiping 0r guiding engagement therewith, as circumstancesrequire.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter referred to which is adaptable for use as a shock mounting formachines, electrical components and the like, a holder for hand toolsand the like, a releasable line or shaft gripper, a line or shaft wiper,a line or shaft guide or centralizer; a shockproof package or shippingcontainer, and for many other obvious or apparent uses.

It is another object of this invention to provide a holder of thecharacter referred to which is easy and econorn-ical to manufacture: aholder which involves few working parts; a holder which is rugged anddurable yet light and compact; a holder which is highly effective anddependable in operation; and a holder which is easy and convenient touse and to service.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of several forms andapplications of my invention throughout which description reference ismade to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a holder as provided by the presentinvention and engaged about a cold chisel;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the holder, showing it in anunactuated position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 33of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the holder actuated andengaged about the shank of the cold chisel;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 55of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the holderillustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5 and showing a novel locking meansrelated thereto;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a modified form of holder having an openwork-receiving side and another form of locking means;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 and showing the holder actuated intoengagement about a shaft; and,

FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6 and showing similarcoupling :means incorporated in the form of the invention shown in FIG.7.

Considering the form of the invention shown in FIGS.

1 through 5 of the drawings, the holder A that I provide involves a pairof elongate, axially-aligned, openended tubular support sections 10 and11 having fiat, inner opposing ends 12 and 13 in sliding bearingengagement with each other, and outer ends 14 and 15, each provided witha plurality of circumferentially-spaced longitudinally outwardly-openingnotches 16 and 17, respectively. In the particular case illustratedthere are four notches in the outer end of each support section.

The sections are rotatably coupled in axial alignment by a switchablecoupling means, which means is shown as including an elongate tubularretainin or guiding sleeve 18 about the inner end of the section 10,which sleeve projects axially inwardly from the end 12 of the section 10and slidably receives the inner end portion of the support section 11.

The sections 10 and 11 and the sleeve 18 can be formed of metal or, asillustrated in the drawings, can be formed of a transparent material,such as Plexiglas or other similar transparent plastic material.

The form of holder presently under consideration further includes a pairof elongate, flexible, elastic bands 19 arranged to extendlongitudinally through the interior of the support sections 10 and 11.The end portions of the bands are arranged in adjacent notches in theouter ends of the support sections so that the said end portions of thebands are engaged about the exterior of the portions of the said supportsections occurring between said adjacent notches and so that the ends ofthe several lengths 20 of the bands extending longitudinally of theconstruction are suitably anchored at or to the outer ends of theirrelated sections 1'!) and 11.

The bands 19 can be established of a single thickness of rubber orrubber-like material, can be established of a plurality or a bundle ofsmall bands, or can be in one or the other of the above forms andprovided :with a suitable plastic, or woven fabric jacket. Stillfurther, if desired the bands can be established of a suitable coilspring which spring can be exposed or jacketed as desired, or ascircumstances require.

When the structure is in its unactuated position as shown in FIGS. 2 and3 of the drawings, the notches I6 and 17 related to each length 20 ofthe bands 1? are in axial alignment and the said lengths 20 of the bandsextend parallel with the central longitudinal axis of the construction.

In operation the object to be held, that is, the work W, is arranged toextend into or through the support sections 10 and 11. When the work isthus arranged the sections it) and 11 are manually rotated one relativeto the other. Upon initial rotation, for example, about one-quarter ofone revolution, the notches 16 and 17 are moved out of alignment and thelengths 20 of the bands extend diagonally of the interior of theconstruction to first establish point contact about the piece of work.There being in excess of two lengths 20, the work is centralized in theconstruction.

Without further turning of the sections 10 and 11, the structure servesas a centralizer for the work and also serves as a lateral shockabsorber.

Upon further limited rotation of the sections 10 and 11, say forexample, three-quarters of one revolution, each length 20 of the bandsextends about and engages a segment of the exterior of the work and inaddition to centralizing and serving as a shock mounting, can also serveas a wiper. That is, it can serve to centralize, yieldingly stabilizeand also wipe a shaft or line running longitudinally through theconstruction.

As the sections 1% and 11 are rotated, the lengths 20 of the bands arestretched tauter and establish increasing pressure and frictionalengagement with the Work.

Upon several rotations of the sections it) and 11 relative to eachother, the lengths wrap tightly about the work and hold it snug ortight. When thus engaged and upon axial shifting of the work relative tothe holder, the bands tend to bind and increase their gripping efifectabout the work to the end that the work cannot be disengaged therefromwithout the exertion of such forces as will break the bands and/or thesupport sections.

In practice, the sections 10 and 11 can be fabricated frame-likestructures and need not be tubular, as shown.

The tension of the bands normally yieldingly urges the support sectionstogether and into tight frictional engagement with each other so thatupon release of the sections after manual actuation of the construction,the structure will not be returned to its unactuated position by thetorque exerted by the twisted bands.

To insure against relative rotation of the support sec tions by thetorqued bands 19, the inner opposing ends of the sections can besuitably serrated or provided with suitable teeth 21 to establish asuitable jaw clutch-type locking means, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 6of the drawings.

When it is desired to release the bands from engagement about the workit is only necessary to rotate the support sections relative to eachother in the opposite direction. In order to so rotate the sections, itmay be necessary to manually urge the sections axially apart from eachother to release the frictional engagement therebetween or to releasethe jaw-clutch type locking means, whichever the case may be.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 of thedrawings, the inner end of the section it) is provided with a reducedextension 22 and the inner end of the section 11 is provided with anenlarged bore 23 in which the extension 22 is slidably engaged, therebyeliminating the provision of a separate retaining sleeve, as is providedin the first form of the invention. The extension 22 is provided with aplurality of circumferentially-spaced radially-disposed pin-receivingopenings 24 and the section 11' carries a suitable radially-shiftablestop pin 25 adapted to be selectively engaged in the openings 24 and tothereby establish another form of the locking means between the supportsections.

Also in this second form of the invention, individual lengths or lines2t), having knots or enlarged heads 26 at their opposite ends, areprovided instead of bands, as illustrated in the first form of theinvention. The ends of the lines 20 are engaged in the notches 16' and17 so that the heads 26 thereon engage and stop at the exterior side ofthe notches, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

Still further, sections 10 and 11 are provided withlongitudinally-extending, laterally-outwardly-opcning work-receivingopenings or slots 27. When the structure is in its unactuated positionthe slot openings 27 are aligned and such that the structure can beshifted laterally about and into engagement about the work W, asillustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings. When the work W is engaged in thesections 10' and 11', the sections are rotated relative to each otherand the structure operates in the same manner as does the first form ofthe invention, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings.

It is to be noted that when the lines 20 are wrapped about the work, andthe sections are subsequently rotated so that the slot-like openings areagain in register, the work W is held captive by the bands and will notshift from engagement in the construction.

It is to be understood that in practice, work receiving openings such asare provided in the second form of the invention can be provided in thefirst form of the invention. Further, it is to be understood that theseveral coupling means disclosed and the different forms of lines andthe manners in which they connect with the support sections areinterchangeable features and can be selectively employed in carrying outthe invention.

In FIG. 9 of the drawings, I have shown the form of coupling meansillustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings incorporated in the slotted sleevetype structure shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details hereinset forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications or variationsthat may appear to those skilled in the art and which fall within thescope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, i claim:

1. A holder of the character referred to including an elongate supportcomprising a pair of elongate tubular open ended support sectionsarranged in axial alignment and having opposed inner ends and oppositelydisposed outer ends, coupling means coupling the sections together inaxial alignment and for free relative rotation, said sections havinglaterally, normally axially aligned, workreceiving openings coextensivewith their ongitudinal extent and providing for free lateral access intothe interior of the support, a plurality of elongate flexible, resilientwork-engaging lines extending through the interior of the support incircumferential spaced relationship and normally parallel with thelongitudinal axis of the support, anchoring means securing the ends ofthe lines to the outer end portions of their adjacent support sections,said support sections being adapted to be rotated relative to each otherwhereby the work engaging openings are shifted out of alignment and saidlines are shifted out of parallelism to extend diagonally through thesupport and to establish substantial helical engagement about anelongate piece of work arranged centrally of and extendinglongitudinally through the support and lock means normally releasablyholding the sections against relative rotation and including a part witha circu mferentially disposed portion at the inner end portion of onesection and engageable with a mating part at the inner end portion ofthe other section,

2. A holder of the character referred to including an elongate supportcomprising a pair of elongate tubular open ended support sectionsarranged in axial alignment and having opposed inner ends and oppositelydisposed outer ends, coupling means coupling the sections together inaxial alignment for limited axial movement and for free relativerotation, said sections having laterally, normally axially aligned,work-receiving openings coextensive with their longitudinal extent andproviding for free lateral access into the interior of the support, aplurality of elongate flexible, resilient work-engaging lines extendinglongitudinally through the interior of the support in circumferentialspaced relationship and normally parallel with the longitudinal axis ofthe support, anchoring means securing the ends of the line to the outerend portions of their adjacent support sections, said support sectionsbeing adapted to be rotated relative to each other whereby thework-engaging openings are shifted out of alignment and said lines areshifted out of parallelism to extend diagonally through the support andto establish substantial helical engagement about an elongate piece ofwork arranged centrally of and extending longitudinally through thesupport, the inner opposed ends of the sections having circumferentiallyspaced axially inwardly projecting teeth, the teeth of each section toengage and seat between the teeth of the other section and to lock thesections against relative rotation when said sections are in buttedengagement with each other.

3. A holder of the character referred to including an elongate supportcomprising a pair of elongate tubular open ended support sectionsarranged in axial alignment and having opposed inner ends and oppositelydisposed outer ends, coupling means coupling the sections together inaxial alignment for limited axial movement and for free relativerotation, said sections having laterally, norimally axially aligned,work-receiving openings coextensive with their longitudinal extent andproviding for free lateral access into the interior of the support, aplurality of elongate flexible, resilient work-engaging lines extendinglongitudinally through the interior of the support in circumferentialspaced relationship and-normally parallel with the longitudinal axis ofthe support, anchoring means securing the ends of the line to the outerend portions of their adjacent support sections, said support sectionsbeing adapted to be rotated relative to each other whereby thework-engaging openings are shifted out of alignment and said lines areshifted out of parallelism to extend diagonally through the support andto establish substantial helical engagement about an elongate piece ofwork arranged centrally of and extending longitudinally through thesupport, the inner opposed ends of the sections having circumferentiallyspaced axially inwardly projecting teeth, the teeth of each section toengage and seat between the teeth of the other section and to lock thesections against relative rotation when said sections are in buttedengagement with each other, said coupling means including asemi-circular sleeve engaged about and extending between the inner endportions of the sections and fixed to one or" said sections.

4. A holder of the character referred to including an elongate supportcomprising a pair of elongate tubular open ended support sectionsarranged in axial alignment and having opposed inner ends and oppositelydisposed outer ends, coupling means coupling the sections together inaxial alignment and for free relative rotation, said sections havinglaterally, normally axially aligned, workreceiving openings coextensivewith their longitudinal extent and providing for free lateral accessinto the interior of the support, a plurality of elongate flexible,resilient work-engaging lines extending longitudinally through theinterior of the support in circumferential spaced relationship andnormally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the support, anchoringmeans securing the ends of the line to the outer end portions of theiradjacent support sections, said support sections being adapted to berotated relative to each other whereby the work-engaging openings areshifted out of alignment and said lines are shifted out of parallelismto extend diagonally through the support and to establish substantialhelical engagement about an elongate piece of Work arranged centrally ofand extending longitudinally through the support, said coupling meansincluding an inner extension on the inner end of one section and anouter extension on the inner end of the other section and slidablyengaged on the inner extension, and lock means releasably holding thesections against relative rotation including, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced pinreceiving openings in the inner extensionand a radially shiftable lock pin carried by the outer extension andengageable in said pin receiving openings.

5. A holder of the character referred to including an elongate supportcomprising a pair of elongate tubular open ended support sectionsarranged in axial alignment and having opposed inner ends and oppositelydisposed outer ends, coupling means coupling the sections together inaxial alignment and for free relative rotation, said sections havinglaterally, normally axially aligned, work-receiving openings coextensivewith their longitudinal extent and providing for free lateral accessinto the interior of the support, a plurality of elongate flexible,resilient work-engaging lines extending longitudinally through theinterior of the support in circumferential spaced relationship andnormally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the support, anchoringmeans securing the ends of the line to the outer end portions of theiradjacent support sections, said support sections being adapted to berotated relative to each other whereby the work-engaging openings areshifted out of alignment and said lines are shifted out of parallelismto extend diagonally through the support and to establish substantialhelical engagement about an elongate piece of work arranged centrally ofand extending longitudinally through the support, said anchoring meansincluding a radially and longitudinally outwardly opening notch in theouter end of each section adjacent the outer end of each line and anextension between and connecting the adjacent ends of adjacent pairs oflines and extending radially outwardly through the notches and thencecircumferentially about the exterior of the sections between the relatednotches.

6. A holder of the character referred to including an elongate supportcomprising a pair of elongate tubular open ended support sectionsarranged in axial alignment and having opposed inner ends and oppositelydisposed outer ends, coupling means coupling the sections together inaxial alignment for limited a'xial movement and for free relativerotation, said sections having laterally, normally axially aligned,work-receiving openings coextensive with their longitudinal extent andproviding for free lateral access into the interior of the support, aplurality of elongate flexible, resilient work-engaging lines extendinglongitudinally through the interior of the support in circumferentialspaced relationship and normally parallel with the longitudinal axis ofthe support, anchoring means securing the ends of the lines to the outerend portions of their adjacent support sections, said support sectionsbeing adapted to be rotated relative to each other whereby the Workengaging openings are shifted out of alignment and said lines areshifted out of parallelism to extend diagonally through the support andto establish substantial helical engagement about an elongate piece ofwork arranged centrally of and extending longitudinally through thesupport, the inner opposed ends of the sections having circumferentiallyspaced axially inwardly projecting teeth, the teeth of each section toengage and seat between the teeth of the other section and to lock thesections against relative rotation when said sections are in buttedengagement with each other, said coupling means including asemi-circular sleeve engaged about and extending between the inner endportions of the sections and fixed to one of said sections, saidanchoring rneans including a radially and longitudinally outwardlyopening notch in the outer end of each section adjacent the outer end ofeach line and extensions between and connecting the adjacent ends ofadjacent pairs of lines and extending radially outwardly through theirrelated notches and thence circumferentially about the exterior of theirrelated sections and between their related notches,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 234,577 11/1880Hufiman 68243 1,705,964 3/1929 Dempsey 17491 2,509,688 5/1950 Loosli.3,040,655 6/ 1962 Byars.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,190,792 4/1959 France.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. V. KUNDRAT, Assistant Examiner.

1. A HOLDER OF THE CHARACTER REFERRED TO INCLUDING AN ELONGATE SUPPORTCOMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATE TUBULAR OPEN ENDED SUPPORT SECTIONSARRANGED IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT AND HAVING OPPOSED INNER ENDS AND OPPOSITELYDISPOSED OUTER ENDS, COUPLING MEANS COUPLING THE SECTIONS TOGETHER INAXIAL ALIGNMENT AND FOR FREE RELATIVE ROTATION, SAID SECTIONS HAVINGLATERALLY, NORMALLY AXIALLY ALIGNED, WORKRECEIVING OPENINGS COEXTENSIVEWITH THEIR LONGITUDINAL EXTENT AND PROVIDING FOR FREE LATERAL ACCESSINTO THE INTERIOR OF THE SUPPORT, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED FLEXIBLE,RESILIENT WORK-ENGAGING LINES EXTENDING THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THESUPPORT IN CIRCUMFERENTIAL SPACED RELATIONSHIP AND NORMALLY PARALLELWITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE SUPPORT, ANCHORING MENS SECURING THEENDS OF THE LINES TO THE OUTER END PORTIONS OF THEIR ADJACENT SUPPORTSECTIONS, SAID SUPPORT SECTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO BE ROTATED RELATIVE TOEACH OTHER WHEREBY THE WORK ENGAING OPENINGS ARE SHIFTED OUT OFALIGNMENT AND SAID LINES ARE SHIFTED OUT OF PARALLELISM TO EXTENDDIAGONALLY THROUGH THE SUPPORT AND TO ESTABLISH SUBSTANTIAL HELICALENGAGEMENT ABOUT AN ELONGATE PIECE OF WORK ARRANGED CENTRALLY OF ANDEXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH THE SUPPORT AND LOCK MEANS NORMALLYRELEASABLY HOLDING THE SECTIONS AGAINST RELATIVE ROTATION AND INCLUDINGA PART WITH A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY DISPOSED PORTION AT THE INNER ENDPORTION OF ONE SECTION AND ENGAGEABLE WITH A MATING PART AT THE INNEREND PORTION OF THE OTHER SECTION.